


defy the world to make you smile

by malumqt (snowboy)



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt Michael, M/M, Protective Calum, Tiny bit of Angst, and calum just wants to see him happy, idk TAGS, luke and ashton are barely in tho oops, michael was in abusive relationship, this is a fluffy fic tho okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 19:16:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7726543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowboy/pseuds/malumqt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hey mate. Are you okay?" Calum asked with concern lacing his voice, but the boy simply shrugged. Calum pursed his lips. He wanted to stay and make sure the boy was okay, but that might be weird. Kuma seemed to have a different idea as she noticed his saddness and curled up next to him. Like she had done so many times when Calum was sad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	defy the world to make you smile

**Author's Note:**

> waddup!! i've been on and off working on this oneshot since december and it's finALLY A FINISHED THING. I TAKE SO LONG TO FINISH ANYTHING OMG. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it tho!!

Calum wasn't really expecting much when he went to walk his dog in the middle of the night, Kuma. He mostly expected to clean up some dog poop, listen to music, and go back home in an hour or two.

What he didn't expect was stumbling across a boy when he was crossing a bridge across the lake. The boy was just sitting on the ground with the legs dangling over the edge and chin resting on the chipping paint of the safety rails. 

Kuma seemed to take great interest in him and started sniffing all over him. Calum tried to pull her back and mumble an apology to the boy, but he didn't seem to care. Just then, then moon escaped from behind clouds and Calum could faintly see tear tracks down his pale cheeks. 

"Hey mate. Are you okay?" Calum asked with concern lacing his voice, but the boy simply shrugged. Calum pursed his lips. He wanted to stay and make sure the boy was okay, but that might be weird. Kuma seemed to have a different idea as she noticed his saddness and curled up next to him. Like she had done so many times when Calum was sad. 

So with that decision made for him, he sat down next to the boy and let his legs dangle over the edge. 

"I'm Calum." He sent a friendly smile to the boy and the boy actually looked at him, his cheek smushed against the bar, black hair falling over his eyes a little, and Calum could see the red puffiness in his green eyes by the combined moon and lone street lamp light. 

"Your dog is cuddly," The boy stated and sadness was all over his hoarse voice. Like he'd been screaming and crying a lot. 

"Yeah, yeah, she's really good at telling when someone is sad and I can't even count the times I've had her jump onto my bed just for cuddles. She's just a really affectionate dog. There was this one time-" Calum cut himself off as soon as he realized he was rambling. "Sorry." 

The boy just sent him a weak smile that didn't quite reach his green eyes. "No, no, continue. I need a distraction." 

"Okay..." Calum trailed off before launching right into his story about how after being at work all day, when he got home Kuma jumped right onto him and tried to lick him to death. "She really is just an affectionate dog."

"I like her." The boy mumbled and started scratching the dog behind her ears. "Sorry if I'm keeping you from something." 

Calum quickly shook his head. "No! You are keeping me from anything. I was just taking her for a walk." 

"Oh, okay, if you're sure." The boy continued scratching the dog, a small genuine smile appearing on his features as the dog's leg started shaking. 

Calum smiled at the two and at the smile on the boy's face. "Positive." 

The two stayed in silence until the boy noticed Calum was starting to fall asleep. The boy watching him closey as soft snores were escaping. Then he gently shook Calum awake, eyes wincing and a soft yawn escaping Calum's lips, 

"You can go home if you want. I'll be okay." The boy said, still looking sad, but not as sad as when Calum first came over. 

"Are you sure? I don't mind staying." Calum mumbled, sleep in his voice and he started nodding off again. The boy gently nudge him and Calum snapped back awake. 

"Do you want help getting home? I really don't want you falling asleep on the side of the road." The boy asked with what looked like a hopeful look in his eyes, but Calum was so tired that he couldn't exactly tell. 

He nodded anyway, because yeah. He could easily fall asleep right there and then. The boy stood up, moving Kuma from where she had been pretty comfortable curled up on him. He offered a hand to Calum, which Calum took gratefully. 

As he stood up all the blood rushed to his feet and he suddenly felt dizzy and light headed, he stumbled foward into the boy, but the boy quickly caught him. Calum's eyes widen as he realized he was basically in the boy's arms. 

Immediately be backed away with a shy smile. "Sorry, guess I got up too fast." He rubbed the back of his neck, but really the boh didn't seem to mind what happened. 

"So, which way is home?" He asked. Calum quickly nodded and pointed down the road. 

"Just straight that way, I'll let you know when we get to my house." 

"Alright." 

They walked down along side the road in silence, Kuma in between them. It wasn't an awkward silence though. Neither boy minded it, it was just comfortable and easy. 

The lamp lit street wasn't so dark a lonely as it could appear and Calum actually realized how much he missed company that wasn't his dog. But all too soon they got to the house Calum had rented

"Well, this is me..." He trailed off awkwardly. Calum really didn't want to leave the boy, he seemed really nice. 

"Yup, I'll see you around I guess." The boy mumbled before walking away. 

Calum watched him for a couple moments, before yawning and looking down at his dog. "C'mon, let's go inside." 

-

It had been a week since Calum's encounter with the black haired boy and Calum just couldn't get him out of his mind. He hoped that maybe the city was smaller than it seemed, but nope. He hasn't seen the boy since. Which may have been what prompted him to complain about it to Luke. 

"He just seemed so sad. I don't even know why, it really wasn't my place to ask. And I didn't even get his name. Why didn't sleepy me think to get his name?" He complained as he pouted at his tall blond friend working behind a bar counter. 

"I dunno, mate. Maybe you should just forget about him." He said with a shrug, as he focused on making a margarita.

Calum continued to pout, only getting momentarily distracted when the door opened and a slightly taller boy with golden curls came into the bar. Calum looked to his blond friend who seemed distracted by the boy, like he had found his true love or something. 

"Hold on." Luke said as soon as he finished making the drink and handed it to Calum.

Calum pouted even more, but took the drink. Taking small sips as he watched Luke walk to the other end of the bar where a golden curly haired boy sat. He had this air of annoyance around him, but Calum could tell it wasn't from Luke's awful attempt at flirting.

With the blond boy leaning half his body across the bar and making random little compliments. The boy was blushing so much and the annoyance was leaving. 

Calum's mind drifted to his own mystery boy as he watched. Still just wishing he could've gotten their name. He faintly heard Luke's giggle from across the bar and started wishing he couldn't hear a second pair of giggles with it. It only reminded Calum about how lonely he was.

With a sigh, Calum walked over to the two boys and handed some cash to Luke to pay for his drink. 

"See ya around." He mumbled and Luke waved with a soft 'see ya' before his full attention was back on curly. 

Calum wandered back to his house from the bar. It was a long walk but with the fading sunlight it looked nice. He didn't mind the walking. 

He pulled out his phone and pulled up twitter, scrolling through it. Liking a tweet from Alex Gaskarth, before noticing he was at the same bridge where he met the boy. 

A little ways away, there was a boy, with green hair, his legs dangling over the edge as he seemed to be watching the sunset. Calum cocked his head to the side, almost hoping it was the same boy. 

Getting closer, it definitely looked like the same boy, but beaten up. There was slightly hidden bruse peaking out of his shirt sleeves. From the side, there looked to be a black eye and a cut just above his eyebrow.

Calum could sense the radiating saddness from the boy. So he quickly made up his mind and sat next to him. Letting his own legs dangle over the edge and stared at the sunset. 

"It looks nice, yeah?" He mumbled. Calum figured it wouldn't be the best idea to just outright ask about the injuries. He didn't want the boy to get closed off and uncomfortable and the sunset did look really pretty with it's soft pinks and oranges.

The boy shrugged and let out a sad sigh. "Does it really matter? It does it all the time, it's nothing new." 

"I think it matters," Calum said softly. "I mean just because it's always there, doesn't mean it should be taken for granted. It looks great and it's something that you know will happen. The sun is always going to rise and set. And with it, it brings the promise of a new day or a awful day ending with the hopes of a better one tomorrow. But then, I might also be trying to talk some deep shit and it really makes no sense." He finished with a chuckle. 

The boy looked deep in thought before nodding. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just wish there were more good days than bad. But maybe some are just unlucky and deserve the bad days." 

"I dunno. I don't think that happens. I mean, good and bad go together, yeah? Like yin and yang. Within bad there is good and within good there is bad. So they balance each other out." Calum shrugged, but the boy shook his head. 

"Nah, I think my life is all bad." 

"Was is always all bad?" 

The boy paused at Calum's question and turned to look at him. A confused look on his face as he considered the question. "Well....I guess not. It feels all bad right now." 

Calum pouted and moved a little closer to him. "It has to get good again at some point then. Kinda like a light at the end of the tunnel thing?" 

"Yeah, that makes sense. That light needs to get here sooner, I don't know how long I can handle anything." The boy blinked back tears. 

Calum frowned, he wished he could help, but he wasn't sure how. Or if the boy even wanted help. "I know I'm still a stranger and all that, but my dog likes you, so ya'know....If you ever need help or anything, I can give you my number and you can call me? Or text if you're more comfortable with texting." 

The boy weakly chuckled and shook his head. "It's alright. I don't wanna be a bother." 

"Listen, as long as you don't send me a bunch of dumb emojis or how cute some boy is every twenty minutes, you really won't be a bother," Calum said with a smile, and really if he did text like a certain blond best friend, Calum wouldn't mind that much.

"Let me guess, someone does that to you now?" The boy asked with a knowing tone, looking back out at the sunset. 

Calum nodded. "Yup, my friend Luke." He said and immediately his phone buzzed with a text. Calum pulled it out and laughed. "Speaking Luke." A series of texts flew in, all about the boy he was with earlier at the bar when Calum left. 

He handed the phone to the boy, "See this is what I have to deal with."

hemmo: this ash guy is so cute!!!  
hemmo: i'm  
hemmo: are guys this cute allowed to even be real??? i think i love him 

The boy read over the texts and a small giggle escaped his mouth. "Luke easily falls in love doesn't he?" 

"Yup!" Calum said, popping the 'p.' "I swear he'll fall in love with anyone who'll give him the time of day. He claimed he loved me when he figuring out his sexuality." Calum laughed at a memory before explaining. "When we were freshmen in highschool, Luke was so sure he loved me and convinced I loved him back. So he actually greeted me with a full on kiss one day. But right after he pulled back, he had this face like-" Calum scrunched up his nose and squinted his eyes. The boy looked at him and suddenly bursted out into giggles. 

Once he was calming down a bit, Calum continued his story, "-Yeah! So he had that look and just went "That was gross, I regret that. I love you, but not that way. I gotta go my own way, but I hope we can still be friends."" He said as he did his best impression of young fetus Luke. 

The boy started giggling again, his hand going to his mouth to cover it up. Calum smiled as he listened to the sounds, liking the sounds of his laugh. He wanted to hear it a lot more, it was such a cute laugh.

"Luke sounds like a dork." He commented in between giggles. 

Calum nodded with a shrug, "That's because he is a dork. He's the dorkiest boy I've ever met. How he's even skilled at bartending, I will never figure out." 

"What does he look like? Cause I'm imagining some typical nerdy boy with glasses and those suspenders."

Calum took his phone and scrolled through his pictures before finding a recent selfie Luke insisted they took when he first got the job. "Here, he's the one that isn't me." 

He handed the phone and picture to the boy. It was was them at the bar, Luke with his hair in the styled fringe, puffing his cheeks out and making this kinda pouty face. The scruff on his face that actually made him look twenty-one, without it he looked nineteen. Calum's side of the picture was him with blond highlights and his tounge just barely poking out. 

The boy's eyes widen as he stared at the picture. "He doesn't look at all how I imaged." 

"Yeah, Luke's appearance does not match his personality."

"You look really great with blond highlights by the way." He complimented with a shy smile. 

Calum blushed and ducked his head. "Thanks. You look great with green hair. I never thought anyone could look good with green hair, but you pull it off." 

The boy's eyebrows furrowed and he cocked his head to side as he looked at Calum. "Wait, you're serious? It looks nice?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just....Everyone said it looked horrible, you're the first one to like it." He mumbled softly.

Calum pouted and gently nudged the boy. "I bet you look great with any hair color. You've already proved it with green and you looked really great in black." 

"Yeah, my natural hair color isn't that great though." He shrugged, but smiled from the compliment.

Calum shook his head, "Nope, I refuse to believe that until I see you're natural hair." 

The boy blushed, but took out his own phone and seemed to scroll for a moment before showing it to Calum. It was a younger verison on him, in a hoodie with a guitar. A dirty blonde fringe in his eyes as he smiled brightly, pretending to play a guitar in a music shop. "See, it looked horrible." He mumbled, sadly.

"Are you- You're kidding me...You look so cute!" The boy ducked his head in what looked to be an attempt to hide his cheeks turning pink. "Can you actually play guitar?" 

"Yeah, I mean....I guess. I haven't played it in..." The boy paused and frowned before continuing. "A while I guess. I don't actually remember the last time I played it." 

"Oh shit, if you had gone to my school with me a Luke you could've been in our lame band. It was called Bromance for some reason and we were so bad. You need to see these videos, remind me to show you the channel some day."

Calum smiled and the boy smiled back. Only then, did both of them realize how dark it had gotten around them. The sun was completely set and the street lamp was the only thing lighting the bridge.

The boy's saddness seemed to come back and his energy deflated. He stood up and Calum watched him curiously for a second before also getting up. 

"I gotta get going, I promised my boyfriend I wouldn't be out too late..." The boy's tone suggested he really didn't want to go back and Calum was making a possible connection between the injuries on the boy and his boyfriend. Calum hoped he was wrong, but that was a possibility. 

The boy started to walk away, but Calum grabbed his wrist. "Wait, do you want my number? I mean then we can meetup for more late night talks." 

The boy pursed his lips, but nodded a smile smile crossing his features. "Yeah, I like that." Suddenly his phone was being handed over and Calum quickly put his number in, putting his contact name as 'midnight cal-pal' 

He got a laugh from the boy once he read it. "Alright, Cal-pal. I'll see you around." And he started walking away.

"Wait, what's your name though? I never got it!" Calum shouted, suddenly remembering he still didn't know the boy's name. 

The boy turned around from aways down the road and put his hands arouns his mouth as he shouted back a "Michael!" Before turning back around. 

-

It'd been so long since that second meeting with Michael. Almost a month. Calum pouted around, and Luke seemed to be getting tired of it, but Calum couldn't help it. He'd only met the boy twice, and he was just concerned. 

He never figured out where those injuries came from and if they were what he feared, than he had a good reason to be worried about not seeing Michael is so long. But then maybe the city was just big and who knows how likely it'd be for them to ever meet again. 

Calum was still pouty about it all though. He hung around the bar with Luke, but eventually that got a bit boring with the bar getting more popular and the boy Luke was suddenly in love with also coming around more and more. 

Ashton. Calum learned his full name from Luke's series of texts. But he didn't seem that bad, from what Luke said, he seemed really great. Nice, loving, cuddly. Everything Luke craves.

So instead of going to the bar, Calum just sorta wandered around and took his dog on many more walks at night. Hoping that maybe he'd run into the boy again. 

On one such walk without his dog, cause she had been sleeping and Calum couldn't bring himself to wake her up, his phone buzzed with a series of texts. Just figuring it'd be Luke, Calum unlocked his phone with a slight roll of his eyes before actually noticing it was an unknown number. 

midnight mi-mi: calum???  
midnight mi-mi: it's michael  
midnight mi-mi: could you pick me up  
midnight mi-mi: i need help

Calum never responded to text quicker in his life.

calum: yeah of course  
calum: where do you need me to pick you up

midnight mi-mi: the hospital

What? Why was Michael in the hospital? Calum got even more worried for the boy. 

calum: yeah! i'll be there in a bit  
calum: promise

midnight mi-mi: thank you x

Calum broke out into a sprint as he hurried to the hospital. There was only one in the city and it actually wasn't too far from where he was. He wondered what was going on? Why Michael was in the hospital? Why he wanted Calum? But those were all things that could be answered once he got to the hospital.

Once at the hospital, Calum realized he didn't know where to go, so he shot a text to Michael. 

calum: where are you in the hospital?

midnight mi-mi: the er  
midnight mi-mi: just ask for michael clifford and i guess they'll show you the way

Calum pocked his cell and went over the ER wing, going up to the receptionist. "Hey, I'm looking for a Michael Clifford?" 

The receptionist nodded and pointed him to room 184 through a door. Calum followed her directions and walked into the open room. There was Michael, sitting up on the hospital bed. A bandage around his now purple coloured hair and his wrist in a cast. Calum let out a gasp and Michael looked up at him. 

His eyes were glossy and watery as he started stuttering, "I-I-I'm sorry. I d-didn't know who else to text. M-My mum's on a business trip and I don't really have anyone else to text." 

Calum moved closer to the boy and pulled him in for a hug, careful to avoid his injured wrist. "I'll help you with whatever you need." he promised. the two of them had barely talked, but he still had this feeling to protect Michael,

"C-Could I stay with you? I don't know how long it would be, but I can't go b-b-back. And I can't go h-home."

Calum nodded, "Yeah, 'course you can."

Michael wrapped his good arm around Calum and pulled him in closer for a hug. "I'm sorry I'm being a bother." 

"I promise you aren't."

-

Michael went back with Calum to his house that night. Kuma tried to tackle Michael and lick his face, while Calum apologize for his house being a mess, but really there was only a few pizza boxes, clothes, and dog toys scattered around. 

"You can take my room, it's right through here." He said leading Michael, with Kuma following, to the room and Michael let out a soft gasp at the sight of the posters and records on the walls. Some were autographed others weren't, but they all looked amazing.

Papers were also scattered around the ground and Calum coughed awkwardly. "Yeah, sorry about the mess. I was kinda in writer's block and this is what happened when I try to write. They're all made up of a good lyric, but the rest is kinda shit." Calum picked up one of the papers and read off a lyric. "This one I have defy the world make you smile, if it keeps you around a while. But I don't know where to go from there." He also wasn't going to admit was that he thought of that lyric because of Michael. 

"You write songs? You're a proper songwriter?" Michael asked, his jaw dropping.

"Yeah, it's my job. I'm a freelance musician and sometimes bands will buy my songs." Calum explained with half a shrug, holding himself back from getting too excited. 

Michael picked up a random piece of paper. "The blood in my veins is made up of mistakes?" He read, voice soft. "Can I keep this?" Michael asked, and how could Calum say no? He couldn't. Besides he wasn't going to do anything with those lyrics.

"Yeah, yeah you can." 

Michael smiled up at Calum and held the paper to his chest. "Tell me more about songwriting, please?"

That's how the rest of that night was spent talking about songs Calum wrote or funny stories he had. Michael refused to talk about himself by always changing the subject, which Calum noticed, but didn't press it. He figured everything would come in time and was happy to just talk and make Michael smile. 

-

Ever since Michael came to stay, Calum insisted the boy take his room. Which after much convincing, Michael finally accepted. 

But then a week later into their arangment was the first time there was screaming coming from the bedroom. Calum jumped from the living room sofa and into his room, where Michael was thrashing around in his sleep. Turning on a lamp in the corner, Calum saw the tears steaming down his face as screams of "Stop! Please, stop!" Continued to sound out.

Calum say down next to Michael, gently shaking him awake with a "Mikey!" 

It worked as Michael jerked up, wide frantic eyes scanning the room before settling on Calum. Michael drew in a shaky beath, but flung himself onto Calum in a tight hug. Tears still streaming down his face and he mumbled a string of apologies. 

Calum rubbed his back and whispered sweet nothings and tried his best to calm the boy down. "It's okay, Mikey. You're safe, nothing is gonna happen to you while I'm around."

Michael whimpered as he continued crying into Calum's shoulder, but he slowly calmed down.

Once he was fully calm, he moved away from the hug and just played with the material of his t-shirt. "I'm sorry for that. I had a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Calum asked, watching Michael in concern. 

"It was about my boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, I was back there and...he tried to kill me for leaving him. I-I don't want to go back to him, Cally." Michael mumbled his voice small and scared. It broke Calum's heart, he'd only seen the boy truly happy a couple times but then every time he ended up doing something completely normal and suddenly got weird and started apologizing for it. 

Calum just pressed a comforting kiss to Michael's forehead. "Do you want me to stay in here tonight?" 

"If it won't be too much of a bother." Michael looked up shyly, a small relived smile on his lips as Calum mumbled out a "not a bother at all," pressing another kiss to his forehead. 

Michael pulled away from the hug and curled up under the covers, watching Calum do the same before he pulled the boy closer to him. Michael let his hand rest over Calum's heartbeat, slowly falling asleep to the steady rythm combined with Calum's hands mindlessly playing with his hair. 

-

In the morning, Calum woke up before the boy and wanted to do something nice. So he carefully moved away and out of his room, stopping to let Kuma outside to the back yard. Heading for the kitchen. 

The small kitchen wasn't anything amazing, but it was Calum's and he had enough food. Looking through the wooden cupboards, Calum found some leftover waffle mix and he may have a been too much of a geek growing up and even now since he got a deathstar waffle iron as a housewarming gift from his sister when he first moved out of his parents place and into the house. 

So turning on Spotify and just going for an All Time Low playlist, singing along with Alex Gaskarth, Calum made the waffles. 

The second, which would be for Michael was just about done when the boy came out of the room. His faded purple hair was a mess, a pastel sweater hung off on shoulder while giving the boy sweater paws, and he was in Star Wars (Calum really likes Star Wars) pajama pants that Calum had lent him.

"Whatever you're making seems amazing and I want some." He admitted with a shy smile. 

"Of course you can have some. I'm making one just for you." Calum giggled, but quickly died down from the confused look on Michael's face. 

"You really made one just for me?" 

Calum nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah, of course I did." It was something Calum had noticed about Michael, he never expected the little things Calum did to get him to smile. 

"Oh, th-thanks." Michael mumbled, looking down at the ground with a small smile. "You're really great, you know." 

A blush rose to Calum's cheeks and he shook his head. "Nah, you haven't known me long enough to realize just how lame I am. I mean have you seen my comic book collection?" 

Michael shook his head and that's when Calum realized he's never shown the boy his comic collection. So as soon the second waffle was done he set it on a plate and then gently took a hold of Michael's hand and led him to the second bedroom that just served as a computer room. With a pc set up on one side of the room, the comfiest chair Calum had ever found in the other corner, and an entire bookself filled with comics and video games. 

"You could say I'm a bit of a nerd." Calum said, a shy smile on his face. 

Michael's jaw dropped as he slipped his hand out of Calum's to look at all the comics he had. "Wait, you have every Deadpool comic?" He asked and Calum nodded. "Do you-Um." Michael started and then stopped. Chewing on his lower lip as he looked between the comics and Calum.

"You can read them if you want. And if you like pc games you can play any of those too. I don't mind." Calum offered, seeing what Michael wanted to ask but was to nervous to actually ask.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I mean it looks like you have collectable comics and I wouldn't want to ruin them." Michael mumbled, playing with the sleeves of his sweater. 

Calum just shook his head. "Honestly I don't mind one bit. The actual rare comics are stored and those are the copies I have for reading. Let's have breakfast and after you can spend all day in here if you want." 

\- 

Michael did spend half the day just reading comics and Calum worked in his room writing songs. Half way through one, Michael came in and silently curled up on the bed. 

"Do you want me to go?" Calum asked softly, but Michael just mutely shook his head. "Do you mind if keep working on this song." Again Michael shook his head and Calum continued plucking at guitar strings while he watched. 

Calum softly sung the lyrics along with the song, periodically stopping to change a word or a note before starting up again.

Michael continued to watch, listening to Calum's singing. He scooted closer to Calum to listen better and just be closer. Before either of them realized, Michael was curled up in Calum's side. His eyes closed as he just listened to Calum sing, soft and soothing. His voice slowly lulling him to sleep until soft snores left Michael's mouth and Calum's singing got softer and softer until he was just watching Michael silently. 

The boy looked so cute just sleeping peacefully, his mouth slightly parted and soft snores leaving everyonce in a while. There was an overwhelming urge in Calum to just protect and love the boy. It seemed like Michael wasn't used to simple kindness and he hated that he'd gotten such a shitty boyfriend that made him that way. Michael deserved nothing, but the best. 

Calum softly sighed and moved Michael so he was under the blankets. When he went to move back Michael's arms latched onto his waist, pulling him back in. Calum's eyes widened, but he let himself be pulled in. He adjusted sightly so Michael was in his arms and slowly drifted off to sleep next to him.

It only felt like a couple seconds that Calum had slept, but as soon as he felt Michael stirring beside him, his eyes fluttered open, meeting straight with Michael's own green eyes. The boy startled back and started stuttering apologies. 

"Mikey, Mikey, it's alright. You don't need to apologize." He said softly. The boy calming down a little bit. "What time is it?" 

"Um, 8pm. I'm sorry if I'm keeping you from something." Michael mumbled, but Calum shook his head. 

"You aren't keeping me from anything. It's alright. I'm actually really boring and nothing exciting happens on Friday nights." He joked and a small smile found it's way onto Michael's lips. 

There was the sound of Calum's text notification, also Star Wars theme with BB-8, and Calum reached over on the end of the bed where his phone lied. Unlocking it there was a text from Luke asking if he and Ashton could come over and hang out, plus he wanted Calum to actually meet Ashton.

"Do you mind if Luke and Ashton comes over?" Calum asked, looking back at Michael. The boy shook his head. "Alright."

Half an hour later Luke let himself in with Ashton following behind. As soon as Michael and Ashton saw each other they were running and wrapping each other up in a hug. Luke turned to Calum and whispered "Did you know that they knew each other?" 

Calum shook his head as he watched Michael smile and talk to Ashton. There was a pang of jealously in Calum's sromache, but he ignored it. Michael was smiling and that was what mattered even if Calum wished he could make Michael smile like that more. 

Michael and Ashton caught up and that's when Calum learned just a little bit more about what happened to Michael. He'd lost contact with Ashton after they'd been friends for years since Michael's ex saw Ash as a threat and demanded Michael stop seeing him. 

"I shouldn't have listened and I should've realized that was a warning sign but-" Michael looked down and played with the fabric of his shirt. (It was actually Calum's shirt that he borrowed.)

Ashton shook his head and Calum wrapped an arm around Michael. "Mikey, you were in love, it makes you do dumb things like follow that monster around." 

Everything got a bit subdued after that and Luke carefully changed the subject to movies and then superhero movies came up and Michael was smiling again as he argued with Luke for what was the best superhero movie. 

Michael arguing for Deadpool and Luke for Thor. "Back me up on this, Cal!" Luke demanded, which normally ment Luke realized he was loosing by all the points Michael kept making for Deadpool. "You too, Ash." Ashton shook his head, refusing to take any side. While Calum raised his own hands, leaning back on the couch. 

"Nuh uh. I'm not involved with this." Calum said, looking between Luke and Michael. "I like Black Panther the best and he doesn't have a movie yet." 

Ashton smiled and raised his hand for a highfive, "Hell yeah! Black Panther is gonna be great!" It was then and there that Calum decided he liked Ashton and the boy was worthy of Luke. Michael turned to him, a sort of sheepish look on his face. 

"Um, I've never read any of the Black Panther comics or seen Civil War yet, and I don't really know who he is." Calum's jaw dropped and he got up off the couch, walking out of the room. He faintly heard Michael's worried voice as he asked Luke and Ashton if he did something wrong, Ashton sputtering to comfort the boy while Luke was just laughing. Calum having done the exact same thing to him the first time he mentioned that he knew nothing about Black Panther.

Minutes later, Calum returned to the room with a stack of Black Panther comics and thrusted them towards Michael. "You need to read them. I don't care if you read them tonight, tomorrow, next week, but you need to read them." Michael carefully took the comics from Calum with a nod.

Luke was still laughing his ass off as Calum sat back down on the couch. "You're so defensive of so many characters." He said once he calmed down enough to speak. "Mikey, unless you want that happening again, there are certain characters you just shouldn't mention to Calum." 

"Wait, has he done this before?" Ashton asked and Luke nodded, recalling all the times Calum had handed Luke some comics and said 'read them or we're no longer friends.'

"Hey, half the characters I love are under appreciated. I'm just trying to bring light to them. And I wasn't really gonna unfriend you." Calum defended, sticking his tongue out at Luke while Michael had already opened the first comic on the stack Calum gave him. 

"You didn't talk to me for week until I finally read Runaways!"

Calum, Luke, and Ashton continued talking and mock fighting while Michael read until Calum noticed him closing the first comic book. In a second he was pressed into the boy's side and smiling hopefully at him. 

"So, first impressions?" 

Michael turned his head to look at Calum, their noses almost touching with how close together their faces were. A blush rose to Michael's cheeks, but he also didn't move away. "He seems pretty cool. I think I like Deadpool more, but I definitely want to read the rest of these comics if I can?" He finished with more of a questioning tone. Calum nodded and scooted back just a bit. 

"Fuck yeah you can! I already told you, you can read any of my comics." Calum smiled and the boy returned it with his own small one. There was a blush rising to Michael's pale cheek as he looked down at the stack of comics on his lap. 

"Um, do you- I mean- um." Michael started and stopped, looking up at Calum, Luke, and Ashton for a split second before looking down. 

Luckily Calum seemed to be able to read his mind. "If you wanna go read them you can. There's my nerd room and my bedroom or you can stay here and read. Whatever makes you comfy. If you wanted to go to the backyard and get a shit ton of dirty Kuma cuddles while you read, you can do that."

Michael's eyes lit up as soon as Calum mentioned his dog and he carefully picked up the stack of comics, holding them closely to the chest as he mumbled a bye to Ashton and that he would text him before he was going outside.

-

Later after Luke and Ashton had left, Calum was on the couch watching a dumb reality tv show. Michael hadn't come back inside and Calum wasn't going to mention anything. He liked the shy boy and if he wanted to stay out all night and read he could. But it was getting into the colder months. Without a second thought, Calum got up and got a spare blanket from his closet. 

Outside Michael was on the backyard swing with Kuma next to him and her head on his lap. Calum smiled fondly at the sight and walked over. 

"Hey, do you want a blanket?" He asked. Michael jumping at his sudden appearance. A blush rose to his cheeks but he nodded slightly and Calum handed over the folded up blanket. For once it was just a green blanket that wasn't Star Wars themed. (But Calum did have a Star Wars blanket at his family home.) "I'm going to go sleep. You can stay out here as long as you want and when you come inside make sure to put Kuma in her bed." 

"Are you sure you don't want your bed back?" 

"Nah, it's fine. I don't mind the couch, there's a reason I got that one. It's not bad for sleeping on." Calum shrugged with an easy smile that didn't seem to do much to actually ease Michael's worries. 

"Really, you can have it back. I mean I shouldn't keep your bed from you forever and as soon as I find some sort of job and have enough money for an apartment I'll stop bothering you." Michael rambled, but Calum shook his head again. 

"It's fine, Mikey. And you can stay here as long as you want. You don't need to feel rushed or anything. It's nice having you around and Kuma likes you." He kept up the easy smile, but Michael was still looking worried. Calum could tell the boy still felt bad and he giggled softly. "Really, it's okay. You can stay here as long as you'd like."

Michael pursed his lips and shook his head. "You can't sleep on the couch forever." He said and just as Calum was gonna promise that ot was fine, Michael was speaking again. "Since you won't let me take the couch-"

"You're right," Calum mumbled softly. He wouldn't let that happen. The couch wasn't terrible but it wasn't the best and Michael deserved the best.

"We'll share the bed." Michael stated with a determined look on his face. Calum's eyes widened in shock and he went to decline. "Cal, it'll work I promise. You don't have to sleep on the couch and I get a cuddle buddy. I like having a cuddle buddy. Please?" 

Calum couldn't say no to Michael's puppy dog eyes and he nodded his head, "Alright. We'll share, but you promise you'll let me know if you ever want to sleep on your own?" 

Michael nodded and a soft giggle escaped past his lips. "C'mon, I want a cuddle and it's getting late." Calum rolled his eyes at the boy, but there was so much fond in them, that he couldn't even deny it.

-

The next day, Calum woke up, it felt weird to be waking up in his bed after a couple weeks of sleeping on the couch. But it was even weirder that Michael's side was empty. Calum made his way to the kitchen only to stop when he came in veiw of Michael dancing around in his kitchen preparing breakfast while listening to music from his phone and the bluetooth speakers Calum kept in his kitchen specially for music while cooking. The sight was just so domestic and cute, Calum could almost imagine this being a common morning. He really wouldn't mind it being a common morning either. 

He slipped to the bathroom to quickly brush his teeth before returning and hearing Michael softly singing along to Ed Sheeran. Calum leaned against the wall, folding his arms over his chest as he watched Michael with a smile. He seemed the happiest he's been since Calum first met him and it was a really nice sight to see. 

A soft giggle also made it's way past his lips as Michael had turned to find a plate to see Calum watching him. A blush rose to contrast the pale boy's cheeks and he ducked his head. "H-Hey Cal. H-How long have you been there?" 

Calum shrugged and pushed himself off against the wall. "Your singing is really good." The blush on Michael's cheeks got worse, but Calum could see the hint of a smile on the boy's lips. "Have you ever thought about pursuing music?" 

Michael snapped his head up and his green eyes were wide as they stared at Calum. "M-Music? I don't- No one would listen to me. My voice isn't that good and I'd forget the lyrics."

"Are you kidding? It's amazing! It's okay if you forget lyrics every now then, I still do it for songs I've written when I have to record the demo." Michael didn't say anything and Calum shrugged. "It's something to think about."

The music subject was dropped as the panckaes were done and Michael handed a plate to Calum. 

They sat on the sofa in the living room and Calum turned on the tv for some background noise. Although as soon as Pokèmon appeared on the screen, Calum heard the soft excited squeal from Michael when a dragonite appeared in the show. A soft smile made it's way on Calum's lips and he set down the remote, keeping the channel on Pokèmon.

It was a nice morning. It was actually an amazing morning. They watched Pokèmon and Michael's smile grew as Calum let Kuma in from the backyard and the dog jumped on the sofa to immediately cuddle Michael. 

Calum could really get used to this being a common occurrence. Michael was adorable and he really wouldn't mind if Michael just moved in. They would have to figure out a solution for it being smaller house, but maybe it could work. It was working comfortably so far and as long as Michael really didn't mind sharing a bed, he could stay forever.

But right now, Calum was just happy with Michael around. 

-

"Calum," Michael poked his head through the bedroom door where Calum was sat on the bed working on another song. Calum motioned for Michael to come in and the boy did. "I-um-I...I was thinking about what you said with the music and I wrote a song. Or I tried to write a song." 

Calum's eyes lit up and he patted the space on the bed next to him for Michael to sit down.  
"Can I hear it? Holy shit, this is exciting. I'm sure it's amazing, Mikey." 

"Can I?" Michael motioned to the guitar which Calum immediately handed over. Michael played the intro before getting into the song. "Everybody's got their demons, even wide awake or dreaming..." Michael continued to sing. His eyes fluttered shut as he sung and Calum couldn't believe what he was hearing especially how insecure Michael was about it. 

As Michael finished and set the guitar to the side, waiting for Calum's reaction. He didn't seem to be expecting a hug as he fell back on the bed, and a surprised squeak leaving his mouth. "That was one of the greatest songs I've ever heard!" Michael giggled and wrapped his arms around Calum. "You really should go into music. I swear you'd make it so far and so many people would love you." I already do Calum thought, but he couldn't say it out loud.

Michael was still fresh out of an abusive relationship and Calum wasn't forcing anything on him. He couldn't do it to Michael, he wasn't going to hurt the boy or make him feel like he should get into another relationship so soon after what he went through. 

The boy was still giggling underneath him and Calum joined in. Michael's laugh was infectious. They stayed like that for another couple minutes until Calum got off of Michael. "Seriously, Mikey, that was a great song. You're really talented." 

-

"Cal! I got a gig!" Michael screamed as he ran through the front door and tackled Calum in a hug. Luckily the boy fell back on the couch and Michael fell on top of him. "I interviewed at the bar that Luke works at and they said we could preform on next Friday night." Michael squealed in excitement and Calum smiled brightly up at the boy. 

"We?" Calum asked and a bright pink blushed rose to Michael's cheeks. 

"I-uh-I might've volunteered you too for it. I didn't mean to, they asked how I got into music and I said you and then they asked if you were a preformer and I said you kinda were. Then they asked if you would be preforming too and I don't know, I said you'd be there, but I meant like you'd be in the audience. You will be in audience?" 

Calum blinked slowly and then a bright smile over took his face. "It'd be an honor to preform with you, if you want me too" Michael squeaked excitedly at that and just nodded his head quickly, no words leaving his mouth. 

Calum giggled and wrapped his arms around Michael. He was so happy, mostly at how excited Michael was. Over the last couple months, Michael had been getting more comfortable around Calum and that lead to a lot of this kind of excitement. It was really quite adorable to see and Michael only apologize a little more than half the time for it. (It was a work in progress that Calum was carefully teaching Michael that he didn't need to apologize all the time and that Calum cared.)

"This is the second greatest thing to ever happen to me!" Michael squealed, he pulled away from the hug, but he was still sat on Calum's lap. "We have to figure out what songs to play. We have to play Jet Black Heart, I like that one. And um um um, Cal you're a song writer, help me out here." 

A soft hum left Calum's lips as he settled his hands on Michael's hips. "You should do a cover, then whoever is in the audience can sing along-" 

"Teenage Dream! Can it be Teenage Dream?" 

"It can be any cover you want. Teenage Dream would be great." Calum said with a smile. "Then you just need a couple originals and you're set!" 

-

They had a week to prepare, Michael practiced everyday until it was time and Calum only a couple days that week. He was only going to play bass and harmonize with a solo here and there. But Michael was happy with it and that's all Calum cares about. 

It wasn't until an hour before that Michael was nervous. He was pacing around behind the stage while Calum watched, not sure what to say that would even calm the boy down. He'd tuned everything and checked the tune of them five times. He was about to go for a sixth when Calum pulled him down onto his lap. 

"Everything is gonna be fine." Calum whispered and Michael pressed his face into the space between Calum's neck and shoulder. "Your gonna be great out there, I promise."

"But what if something goes wrong? What if I forget the lyrics? What if a string breaks? What if-" Michael cut himself off and wrapped his arms around Calum, holding on tightly to the boy. "I preformed in school once and I forgot the lyrics. J-Jack always brought it up whenever I said I wanted to pursue music."

Calum's eyes widened. Michael never talked about his ex, it'd be weeks since he'd even mention the guy. "Mikey, I'll be there with you okay? I promise everything will go great. I have a present for you too." 

Michael looked up at Calum, his brows furrowed and his head ever so slightly cocked to the side. The sight was adorable, Calum couldn't help but ruffle Michael's now blue hair. "It's nothing super amazing, but..." Calum pulled out a key from his pocket. "It's a key to the house. I know you only wanted to stay with me until you could afford your own place, but if you want to just permanently stay that'd be really fucking great. Kuma loves you and you can separate yourself from her, she'd be sad not seeing you everyday." 

"Kuma would miss me, huh?" Michael joked softly, but his heart wasn't in it as he stared down at the key offered to him. "I think- I think I'd miss Kuma too. But I'd miss you more." He admitted and slowly wrapped his hand around the key. His eyes drifted up to Calum, a smile overtaking his lips. 

Calum returned the smile. The words I love you just on the tip of his tongue, but then Luke was appearing saying it was time to preform. Michael took a deep breath and nodded to Luke.

-

Everything went great with Michael's performance. He didn't forget any lyrics and the crowd at the bar was loving it. At the end, Michael was high off the adrenaline and bouncing around as he talked about everything to Calum. 

Luke and Ashton came around and pulled Michael in for a group hug, the boy smushed between them. "You did great. Ten people came up to me asking when you'd preform next." Luke said quickly and Ashton nodding in confirmation.

Michael's smile grew impossibly bigger at that and he was almost bouncing with excitement. "This is definitely the second best thing that's happened to me." 

"I'd think it'd be your first." Calum commented lightly, but the boy shook his head. "What happened to you that's better than this? Did you meet Alex Gaskarth?"

"Nope, but meeting Alex Gaskarth would be close." Michael giggled. "Do you think I could ever meet Alex?" 

Ashton ruffled Michael's hair and said of course while Calum was casually scrolling through his contacts on his phone for Alex's number. If it would make Michael smile, then Calum can make him meeting Alex Gaskarth happen. The lead singer still owed Calum a favour.

-

"So, have you told your boy toy about this Skype call?" Alex said as soon as he popped up on the screen. 

"A guy like you needs a boy toy." That was Jack popping in on the Skype call. 

Calum rolled his eyes at both of them. "He's not my boy toy." 

Of course it was that moment that Michael had to walk through the door. He'd gone out earlier for a couple comics and texted he'd be home in a couple minutes, but Calum really wished it could've be a minute longer. 

The boy cocked his head to the side. "Who's your not boy toy?" 

"A dude named Michael," Jack started singing and Alex joined in, "Used to ride motercycles." 

Michael's eyes widened and rushed over to Calum's laptop. A soft squeal left his lips and his pulled his sweater collar up to hide his face. "Damn, Cal, you said he was adorable, but I didn't expect this much adorableness." Alex said, a smile on his lips. "Hey! I'm Alex." 

"Hi, fuck, um I- You know Calum?" Michael stuttered over his words and Calum almost cooed at how cute it was. 

Calum patted the space on the sofa next to him as Alex spoke about how they knew each other. And then as soon as Michael was sat, Calum handed the laptop over. Alex and Jack still talking and Michael just smiling like it was the best day of his life. 

"I'm gonna go make dinner, have fun talking. And Alex, if you mention anything about you know what, I will fly to England and punch you in the face." Alex waved Calum off and Michael asked how was England whicu launched into another story from Alex and Jack. 

Michael talked for an hour until they had to leave, but then Calum was just finishing up spaghetti so it worked out well. Michael came running up at Calum was stirring the sauce into the pasta and hugging the boy from behind. 

"That was amazing, holy shit! How did you- I mean Alex said you texted him a couple nights ago about wanting to Skype so you could introduce us and now we did and I have his and Jack's number. This is the second best thing to ever happen in my life." 

Calum smiled and spun around in Michael's arms. Placing a feather light kiss to his nose. "I just knew that meeting Alex would make you happy and seeing you happy is all I want." Michael sputtered and a blush covered his cheeks. 

"I can't believe you're real. How? How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?" Michael asked softly.

Calum shrugged and pressed another kiss to Michael's nose. "You could say you're unlucky, cause you're stuck with me now."

A giggled left Michael's lips and he shook his head. "I am lucky. I wanna have you around forever and ever." 

"I'd love to be around you forever and ever." Again I love you was just on the tip of Calum's tongue, but he couldn't say it. The pasta was starting to burn and it wasn't the right time apparently. But they both knew what they meant and it was enough right then.

-

The right time never truly came until Michael had a long day, he'd been picked up by Hopeless Records at recommendation of All Time Low and was working on an album. Calum helped write a couple of the songs when Michael said he already had a song writer to help him with the album.

But they had a long day of writing the songs that were to be on the album. Michael was practically falling asleep on Calum's shoulder and the boy pressed a soft kiss to the boy's head. They were home and on their bed (it became theirs when Michael agreed to stay but wouldn't let Calum stay on the couch) and the boy was struggling to stay awake.

Calum closed his laptop and collected the papers near him before pulling the covers over Michael. Not that the boy was complaining, he just went along willingly. The only thing he did was pull Calum down when the boy tried to get up to turn off the light. "Mikey, I'll be right back." 

"But cuddles!" Michael whined and pouted at Calum. With a soft ruffle of his hair, Michael left Calum go, but was already making grabby hands for him to come back as soon as the light was off. 

Michael pressed himself into Calum's warmth as soon as he was settled and sighed contently. Calum wrapped his arms around Michael before pressing a kiss to his head. "I love you." 

Michael smiled into Calum's chest. "I love you too. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." And with that, Michael drifted off to sleep. Maybe nothing was official between them, but Calum knew without a doubt that Michael was the one for him and he had Michael since that first day at the bridge when Michael was sad and in a bad relationship until now when Michael was the happiest he's been and with him. 

He'd asked the boy out officially in the morning, but for now was cuddles and sleep. 

**Author's Note:**

> also ayy my tumblr is malumqt if you wanna hmu there tho i'm not on it a lot. but we talk about malum, send my prompts of fics you want idk, whatever you wanna hmu about.


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